SJ Astronomy

It’s there for us year round, lighting our days and providing energy for our lives, so maybe it’s time to give it a closer look. Join SJAA for amazing and detailed views of the Sun, and be assured that we’ll be using special telescopes that will keep your eyeballs perfectly safe.

We’ll have white-light telescopes with dense solar filters that reveal sunspots. Further, we’ll show you hydrogen-alpha telescopes that isolate a very specific color of red that reveals prominences (often thought of as solar flares) and intricate texture within the Sun’s chromosphere (its atmosphere).

We can also share with you a little about how the Sun works and how complex magnetic fields drive the number of sunspots and prominences that we’ll see on a given day.

Around 2:15, we'll have a short, informal introductory talk, and at other times, you can enjoy the views and ask questions about the Sun, telescopes, or astronomy in general.

Often we also have a station where you can get a better feel for the huge scale of our solar system! And you'll get a solar system you can fold up and carry in your pocket.

You may bring your own telescope. If you have a properly filtered white light or H-alpha telescope and want to share views with others, please arrive at 1:30 or earlier, so you have time to set up before the event officially starts.

Many of SJAA’s events, like this one, are public and free to attend, but if you’re enjoying what SJAA has to offer, consider becoming a contributing member for only $20 per year: https://www.sjaa.net/membership/benefits-of-membership-2/

For more info on this public solar observing event, visit: https://www.sjaa.net/events/solar-observing/

[Photo: Sun image (at 304A) from NASA SDO (https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/) 2022-10-08]

This is the monthly business meeting of the SJAA Board of Directors. Meeting is held at Houge Park in San Jose, and is open to all.

(Please note: This meeting is an In Person event at the location provided above.)

Come join us for our monthly Astronomy talk!

7:30pm-8pm: Social time with snacks

8pm: Talk begins

Title: Fast Radio Bursts: An Enduring Cosmic Mystery

Abstract:
In August of 2001, an extremely bright, brief, extraterrestrial radio signal washed over the Earth. This flash of radiation lasted just a few milliseconds, originated from around four billion light years away, and contained more energy in a fraction of a second than the Sun gives off in an entire year. Almost 25 years later, astronomers have now found thousands more of these “fast radio bursts”, but incredibly, we still have no idea what they are. Professor Bryan Gaensler will explain how fast radio bursts were discovered, why they’re so enigmatic, and how they could be key to understanding some of the fundamental properties of the Universe.

Bio:
Bryan Gaensler is the Dean of Physical and Biological Sciences and Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He received his PhD from the University of Sydney in 1999, and subsequently held positions at MIT, the Smithsonian Institution, Harvard University, the University of Sydney, and the University of Toronto, before joining UC Santa Cruz in 2023. Professor Gaensler has published more than 480 research papers on cosmic magnetism, interstellar gas and cosmic explosions, while his best-selling popular book "Extreme Cosmos" has been translated into five languages.

About the graphics:
The image used here is a collage of images. Credits for the individual images are "draco-zlat / iStock / Getty Images Plus", "CHIME Collaboration", and "Renee Wall"

About the event:
Many of SJAA’s events, like this one, are public and free to attend, but if you’re enjoying what SJAA has to offer, consider becoming a paid member for only $20 per year: https://www.sjaa.net/membership/benefits-of-membership-2/